The Cardinals did more little things, made less mistakes, were more clutch at the plate and out-pitched the Dodgers. And whether you believe the Dodgers have the more talented roster, it was clear by the time the series was over, they were not the better team.

The Dodgers finished with two hits, two errors, three wild pitches, a pair of wild throws from right-fielder Yasiel Puig and numerous missed plays.

And for the second consecutive game, the Dodgers could not come close to figuring out rookie right-hander Michael Wacha. The 22-year-old held them scoreless on just two hits in his seven innings.

All while Kershaw was experiencing his worst outing in years. It must have felt like an out-of-body experience for the left-hander.

His demise began with an 11-pitch at-bat to Matt Carpenter, the second baseman fouling off eight pitches in the third before doubling into the right-field corner.

The floodgates cracked and then burst open. Kershaw was clearly not in top form, and the Cardinals capitalized without mercy.

They scored four times in the third, Kershaw needing 48 pitches to get out of the inning. They scored five more times in a disastrous fifth inning and suspense had taken an early night off.

Right-hander Carlos Marmol took over in the seventh and retired the Cardinals in order.

Rookie Michael Wacha, 22, was pinch hit for, so he's done for the night. The Dodgers never did score against him in two NLCS starts. In his seven scoreless innings, he allowed only two hits and a walk, with five strikeouts.

He did not allow the Dodgers to score in 13 2/3 innings of his two series victories over Clayton Kershaw.

It's all getting away from the Dodgers, inning by inning, play by play. And there will be no Clayton Kershaw to save them.

It's a blowout now, all that's left is for the Cardinals to get the last 12 outs.

Yadier Molina opened what would prove a nightmare inning with a hit to Yasiel Puig in right field. Puig seemed to take his eye off the ball, almost like he was thinking of trying to throw out Molina at first. Instead, the ball ricocheted off his glove for his second error and Molina took second.

David Freese singled Molina to third, and Matt Adams doubled him home.

And in the biggest outing of his career, Kershaw was lifted in the fourth inning for the first time all season.

And for something really different, Clayton Kershaw retired the Cardinals in order for the first time all night.

Unlike his disastrous 48-pitch third inning, the fourth took him just 10 pitches.

The Dodgers, however, have yet to even indicate they've started to figure out rookie Michael Wacha, who has yet to allow the Dodgers a run in the 10 2/3 innings thus far in his two NLCS starts against them.

The left-handed hitting Carpenter had an 11-pitch at-bat -- fouling off eight pitches -- before hitting a one-out double. Clayton Kershaw being unable to put him away would prove costly.

Beltran singled just over the glove of diving second baseman Mark Ellis to score Carpenter with the game's first run.

But Puig, doing exactly the thing the Dodgers feared he would in the playoffs, threw needlessly to the plate, even though he had no chance to get Carpenter. Beltran alertly kept running to second on the brain cramp.

Which proved significant when Yadier Molina singled up the middle to score Beltran. Hanley Ramirez is not going to be diving for any balls with those sore ribs.

David Freese followed by hitting a single through the legs of Kershaw. The Dodgers thought they had caught Matt Adams looking at third strike on a full-count pitch, but instead Adams drew a walk to load the bases.

Things spiraled out of control for Kershaw when he gave up a two-run single to Shane Robinson. Puig fielded the ball and again threw needlessly and high to the plate for an error that allowed the runners to advance.

Kershaw struck out right-hander Michael Wacha to end the bleeding, but the damage was done. Kershaw will not be long for in this game. He threw 48 pitches in the third and already has thrown 81 pitches in three innings.

He gave up a two-out single to Shane Robinson and then starting struggling with his curveball, throwing consecutive wild pitches to advance him to third. The Cardinals scored their only run off Kershaw in Game 2 after a passed ball.

The Dodgers failed to score against Michael Wacha in the first, which is starting to feel uncomfortably familiar.

Carl Crawford did beat out an infield hit to start the game but was erased when Mark Elllis bounced into a double play. Adrian Gonzalez, after a solid round of boos after he was introduced, bounced out sharply to third.

Pregame II:

Surprise, surprise.

The Dodgers must have found some magic potion, or something, because now Hanley Ramirez is back in the lineup.

Ramirez was originally scratched, though Manager Don Mattingly had given himself some wiggle room. He said this before the game:

"If something would change before game time, we'd switch up. All of a sudden he's trying to do things and he could get loose, he may be in there. But I don't anticipate that."

Maybe Ramirez is trying to do a Willis Reed, but the Dodgers best watch him closely. This is not something they'd want to blow up on them, what with their season only on the line.

Ramirez is back at shortstop and batting cleanup.

Pregame:

The Dodgers understandably have always seemed a more confident team with Hanley Ramirez in the middle of the lineup.

“If he’s healthy the whole season, he’s the league MVP,” said Nick Punto.

But it’s Punto no Ramirez in the Dodgers lineup at shortstop as they attempt to avoid elimination in tonight’s Game 6 in St. Louis, not Ramirez.

Ramirez has succumbed to the broken rib he suffered in the opener. Given that his swing has hardly been the same since, it seems the smart decision, even though Manager Don Mattingly hoped following Thursday’s off-day, Ramirez might actually have felt slightly better Friday.

“I expected (with) yesterday off and kind of a full day today, that he'd be a little better,” Mattingly said. “But I think maybe the lack of activity, (it) may even have just gotten stiffer or tighter. He didn't really say anything like that. Just more that he feels worse today than did he yesterday.”

Mattingly was unsure if Ramirez might get his side loose enough for him to be able to pinch hit later in the game.

“I think these are the games you want to play,” Mattingly said. “Your guys get excited. You've worked all year long for this. Kershaw and Wacha obviously, this is a cool matchup. These are two quality guys going at it. Two teams that want to move on.”

With Ramirez out, Mattingly moved rookie Yasiel Puig into the cleanup spot.

St. Louis Manager Mike Matheny made one lineup change, moving Shane Robinson into center for the left-handed hitting Jon Jay.

“The thought process really is to try and get some more offense if we can,” Matheny said. “It's no secret how effective Kershaw has been against left-handed hitters and he's a tough assignment.”